


Falling for the Past

by familylovemichael



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 04:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/familylovemichael/pseuds/familylovemichael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark is in Paris with his fiancee Pepper Potts. So how exactly did he end up meeting Steve Rogers in the same city, but in 1944? No superpowers AU; Stony; based on Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. Slight Pepperony in the beginning, but revolves on around Stony.  Cross-post from FF</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. As Time Goes By

**Author's Note:**

> I was watching A Midnight in Paris a year or two ago and really loved it and thought about how great it would've been to see this with other characters and then the Avengers happened and this was born. I hope you enjoy it, please feel free to leave reviews, con-crit, whatever. All feedback is appreciated!

"Pepper, I don't understand why you thought that it'd be a good idea to drag me to Paris," Tony complained loudly as he trudged behind his fiancé in the airport terminal. "I don't speak French, you don't like French food, this is a lose-lose situation for the both of us."

"I'm impressed that you managed to think of someone other than your ego for a change," Pepper replied without stopping or looking up from her phone. "But just for the record, this is a business trip about the latest developments you have had and we owe Yvette Avril more than you can even begin to fathom."

"If I remember right, though, and I do, she didn't actually succeed in saving the company from that bastard Stane." Tony didn't realize that the clacking of her heels had stopped until he was face to face with the beautiful woman.

"And just for the record," she replied with a low voice, "I love everything French." She gave him a light, barely there kiss before spinning around on the heel of her Louboutin and walking off.

Her fiancé was left in a slight daze before shaking his head and moving a little faster to catch up. "You know, Pepper, the French did invent a lot of things."

"Keep telling yourself that, Tony!"

* * *

 

"Tony, please put your tie back on," Pepper asked. They had only been in their suite for twenty minutes and Tony had already gotten down to his favorite Black Sabbath t-shirt and jeans and pulled out a tablet to run a few algorithms he came up with on the flight over. He gave a noncommittal grunt and kept working. Having had enough of his antics, she took the tablet right out of his hands and ignored the pterodactyl noise in response.

"I thought this was supposed to be a business trip, not an opportunity to torture the man you apparently love," he grumbled. "Pep, when have any of the people who work for me actually expected me to show up dressed nicely?"

"I suppose Sober Tony is what they are really going to be happy with," Pepper agreed. "But you are still wearing a suit." She threw the discarded suit back onto Tony, who made a few more snide remarks while trying to get his trousers back on.

There was a knock on the door. "Everyone decent?" Happy called.

"Come on in, Happy," Pepper called from her perch on the balcony. "I hope you have just as nice of a view from your room."

"Yep!" Happy replied as he hopped out onto the balcony with the blonde. "It's pretty amazing here, isn't it? I can't believe Tony had me come out here too."

"His selfless side is usually overshadowed by his stupidity and selfishness," Pepper commented without taking her eyes off the view of Champs Elysees. "You know, I've always wanted to live here, but Tony has his heart set in New York."

"That is one hundred percent true," the man said from behind as he joined the others on the balcony. "The first arc reactor and my spares are at home so my heart is quite literally in New York. How's it going Happy? Like the room? No one steal anything from you?"

Happy laughed and shook his head. "The room is great, Tony. I really appreciate you taking me along on this trip."

Tony waved him off and grabbed a glass of wine from the table. "I need someone to drive me around and Pepper refuses to do that so, you're up."

Happy smiled. He knew that this was Tony's way of showing his friends that he cared.

A silence fell as they all admired the view. Well, Happy and Pepper did. Tony ran more numbers in his head until he got bored and made them all leave for the Benefit.

* * *

"Why is there nothing but wine?"

"I can't breathe in this stupid tie."

"Pepper, I hate this and need some air."

Eventually, Tony found himself outside. He finally had a moment of quiet where he could throw his tie off and break out his cell phone. Being engaged to Pepper had changed him. He used to have absolutely no filter and loved it. But Pepper had taught him to bite his tongue. He was now more polite and compliant and it was awful. He no longer felt like Tony Stark. He felt like Neutered Tony Stark.

He sighed and sat down on the nearest steps. He put his face in his hands. What was he going to do? He (probably) loved Pepper and felt (unlike himself) great with her.

"Anything I can do to help you, sir?"

Tony looked up to see where the American voice came from. He was shocked to see a towering blond man who was built like a freaking house. He had the All American Boy look that everyone fawned over. Well, aside from the fact that his body looked like it was carved out of stone. Tony had to stop himself from reaching out and touching the obviously toned abs visible through the man's checkered blue button down under his bomber jacket. Mystery Man raised an eyebrow. Obviously, Tony had been staring for just a bit too long.

"No, no, I'm good. Thanks though," he stammered. Stammered? Since when the hell did Tony Stark stammer?

"Are you sure? Because you look a little off," Mystery Man asked. He set down the books in his hands and leaned in closer to Tony to check…something on his face, Tony wasn't sure what, but he wasn't about to start complaining. Even if you are only 68% straight, doing something with this guy is cheating and cheating is cheating and Pepper deserves better.

Tony blinked a few times and leaned away to stand. "I'm sorry, I have to go. My uh, my…Pepper is expecting me and I should uh…I should get back." He looked around and found that he couldn't recognize anything from what he observed earlier on his walk. "Except I have no idea where I am…"

It looked like he had wandered into Old Town. Was there an Old Town in Paris? It was all old. No one would call Tony Stark the most observant man around. Pepper had kicked him in the shins when he had asked her when she had colored her hair to blonde; in reality it had been a few weeks before he noticed, so really he did deserve it. But he could have sworn that the little café on the corner had been a Starbucks when he passed it a few minutes ago and that the vintage clothing shop was really a high end Chanel. Even the street was now made of brick and the lights were all what Pepper would describe as "quaint." What the actual f-

"Do you need a ride? I was just walking back to my car. Well, not mine, but my friend Bucky's," M.M. explained. "I'm Steve Rogers, by the way."

How fitting; an All American name for an All American guy. "I'm Tony Stark."

Steve started. "Stark? Like Howard Stark?" Tony grimaced and bit back an insult about his father. He nodded. "Well, any friend of Mr. Stark's is a friend of mine. He personally financed my trip here for my studies."

Of course he did. He did love those charity ca- wait.

"How is that possible?" Tony asked. Steve just looked confused. He elaborated. "Howard was my father and died years ago."

Steve laughed. "Not possible. I just talked to him on the phone today. He was checking on how I was doing in class."

This is guy is obviously delusional and needs some help.

"All right, Rogers. Thanks for the offer to ride the crazy train, but I'll take care of myself from here on out."

Tony started to walk towards the tall building he saw in the distance. Pepper kept telling him what it was, but it wasn't necessary to remember. Arc de something. Whatever. He made sure that his cell had the latest GPS abilities when he last rebuilt it so he pulled it out to check.

"What the hell?" he muttered when he saw that there was absolutely no service on it. Impossible. He had built it himself. It was perfect. Except, it wasn't. He turned to the guy from before and yelled for him to stop. "Now listen, I don't know what the hell is going on here and maybe you do. First off, why do you think my dear old dad is alive?"

Steve gave Tony another look. "I'm sorry, sir, but I really did speak to him tonight. I don't have a reason to lie to you about this."

"Too bad he's dead," Tony muttered sarcastically. Luckily, it didn't seem like Mystery Man – Rogers. Steve Rogers. – had heard him. Instead of pressing the issue further, the older man just shook his head and decided to drop it. Not like he was getting anywhere with this guys anyway. "So you said you could give me a ride?"

In the car, Tony pulled out his phone again to try to pull up directions, but there was still no signal.

"Damn," he muttered and shoved it back into his pocket. At least this guy doesn't look like a murderer. His car is way too nice for him to haul bodies in it. "This is a pretty sweet ride. What is it, an IRAT Roadster?"

"Yep," Steve said with a slight bit of pride. That was probably more than the guy was used to showing. "My friend Bucky got it right off the lot in '37. Pretty swell, huh?"

"Yeah, swell, right. Wait did you say he bought it off the lot in '37? As in 1937?" Tony was pretty sure he heard the guy right, but he couldn't have. That was over 80 years ago…

"For 7 years old, it still runs like a dream, doesn't it?" Steve replied. He thought Tony was just enamored by the car's beauty and purr.

"Seven years…so it's 1944…"

"Exactly how much did you have to drink tonight, Mr. Stark?"

"Apparently, not enough." Tony took a few deep breaths. Remember your heart condition Tony,a voice in his head, which sounded suspiciously like Pepper, said. "Why are you in France if it's 1944 then? Shouldn't you be off defending your country against Hitler or something?"

Steve's hands noticeably clenched on the steering wheel. "I enlisted, but they rejected me as a soldier."

Tony simply stared. "You're the size of a house. Nazis would run at the sight of you. How would they pass you up?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, Mr. Stark," the blond said as he came to a stop. "I think this is the hotel you said you were at?"

Tony looked out and read the sign of the place Pepper had picked out. "Yeah, it looks right."

"Looks a bit ritzy, if you ask me," Steve said. "Not very personable."

Says the man who admires my father. "My fi…Pepper picked it out. Not a lot of choice there."

"Dames. I gotcha," Steve chuckled. "I should be off. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Stark." He reached out his hand to shake Tony's but he was already out of the car.

"Thanks for the lift, Rogers. I think I'll see you around," Tony replied before turning around and leaning into the window. "And Mr. Stark is my father's name and I'll have to beat you up, or hire someone to beat you up, if you call me anything but Tony from now on."

"All right, Tony. Have a good night."

And with that, Steve drove off. Tony watched him before turning back to the hotel and entering. It was all the same as before when he first arrived with Pepper. He trudged up the stairs, thankful that Pepper hadn't come back from the party yet. He shot off a text saying where he was and collapsed on the bed.

"What the hell happened to me tonight?"


	2. La Vie En Rose

When Tony awoke the next morning, he found himself alone in the bed. He felt something that wasn't quite panic, but whatever uneasiness it had been was soothed when Pepper walked out of the bathroom in her robe.

"Where did you get away to last night? You were gone for hours and then I get this text saying you came back here?" Pepper asked as she toweled her hair dry. "You know, you are lucky that Happy was there to help me cover for you."

"I took him to France," he grumbled. "We're even."

"And Yvette?"

"I already had Jarvis send her a very generous gift card to Chanel," he replied. Which reminded him – "Pep, is there an Old Town near us?"

She shot him a look that he was pretty sure just insulted his intelligence. "Tony, this is Paris. It's all old. It's not like New York where it's set up into different towns like that. There are neighborhoods that are older, but nothing like Greek Town or Little Italy. I swear, your body may leave, but your mind is always in New York."

"No, it's not like that. I was walking around last night and there was this neighborhood that looked like…never mind. You'll say I'm crazy. Let's just go get some food or something and then try to find some of that overpriced art that you love so much," Tony said dismissively. The more he thought about it, the more last night seemed like a dream. An alcohol, Xanax, overtired infused dream. But ever the scientist, he would walk the same path tonight. Just to see.

* * *

"Jesus Christ, Pepper this is so boring."

"I'm dying. This is obviously a new form of hell made especially for me."

"We have 60 floors in Stark Tower and this wouldn't work in any of the rooms. Why do we need this?"

Eventually, Pepper smacked Tony and told him to take a hike. So he did. Literally. He knew she'd be fine though. Happy took over his role as protector graciously. That's how Tony found himself back in the hotel room, waking up on the couch. There was a note from Pepper that told him she had gone to dinner with Happy because they'd run into one of her old friends from college. Or maybe it was a cousin. Or something. He couldn't remember. Not when he still had his pseudo experiment to fulfill.

He wandered back down towards the same neighborhood. This time, he was completely sober and fully rested. No chance of suspecting it was a dream now.

Hands shoved into his pockets, Tony strolled casually down the street.  _Oh right, pay attention to your surroundings._

Too bad the thought came a second too late. They'd already changed.

"Is there like a force field or something that I pass through?" he mumbled to himself. "What kind of Jedi Mind Trick shit is going on?"

"Tony?"

He turned at the sound of his name and saw none other than Captain America himself, Steve Rogers, sitting at a table at the corner café. He had papers spread out around him, a cup of coffee sitting on the side of a sketchbook that wasn't currently being drawn on.

"How are you doing tonight?" he asked with a small smile. He quickly shuffled a few papers and gestured to his empty chair. "Do you want to sit down?"

Tony quickly analyzed the situation before replying with a noncommittal, positive response and sat down.

"What are you doing out this late?" Tony asked. He was only half paying attention, most of his focus on the few masterpieces he could see lying around the table.

"Nothing compares to Paris at night," Steve replied with a dreamy look on his face. Tony looked around and could almost see what the other man meant. The lights gave everything a soft glow; the stores had people, in pairs and on their own, sitting around just basking in the glow of the city. Tony finally turned to look at Steve and nearly gasped. He looked almost angelic, his skin that was pale before was now a soft gold. His hair looked like it was made of silk and the older man had to restrain himself from reaching out to touch it.

He cleared his throat before adding, "I always thought that it looked best in the rain."

Steve squinted his eyes and looked around, imagining what Tony had said. "I've never really paid attention to it," he said. "But, I might have to start paying attention."

Something caught Steve's eye and he began to sketch out whatever he was seeing. Tony just kept his eyes forward. He really didn't want to break the artist's focus and all that. When he heard the pencil scratching stop, he asked, "So, Mr. Rogers, are you here to study art or will I have to drag you down to a university myself and sign you up for a few classes?"

Steve huffed a laugh before nodding. "Yes, I'm here for art. I am working on my final project right now. We have to put together a collection of things we 'find ourselves enamored with,' whatever that is supposed to mean. My art teacher is a bit loony."

Before Tony could come up with a witty response, he heard a few music notes float out of the café. It took a second before the realization of who it was hit him like a Mack truck.

"Is that Edith Piaf?"

Steve looked up and checked the sign behind him. "Yep. Do you know her?"

Tony was flabbergasted. Sure, he listened to mostly AC/DC, but who really didn't know about Edith Piaf? "Of course. Want to go in and watch her? She's, like, the best of all French singers, ever."

The blond looked at his obscured sketchbook with a hint of sadness before smiling and nodding. He picked up all of his books and papers, set a 5-franc note on the table, and walked in with Tony.

She was just finishing up a song when they walked in. They got to hear her do another few songs before she wrapped the set and got a drink at the bar.

"I should probably apologize for doubting you about her, because that might have been the best singer I've ever heard," Steve said, still in awe.

Tony patted his shoulder, before going over to the bar and sitting down right next to Edith Piaf. He flagged the bartender down for a Scotch and a refill for the woman.

"Mademoiselle Piaf, I have to say that both my friend and I were in awe with your performance tonight," he said in French. Pepper thought that he just worked in the lab when he was busy not sleeping, but she was beyond wrong. "You were magic on the stage."

"Merci," she replied. "It is nice to get a compliment about my music. I'm very glad that you enjoyed it."

Tony smiled and finished his drink. He asked for an autograph on the cocktail napkin. While she signed, he couldn't help but begin to hum the tune of  _La Vie En Rose_ under his breath.

She finished her name with a flourish before asking what it was that he was singing.

"Just a random tune," he said with a small smirk. "Merci beau coupe, Mademoiselle. Bon soir." He kissed her hand and walked over to Steve. "I think that it's about time to get out of here."

"Oh," Steve said with a small bit of disappointment. "Okay, I suppose that I'll see you later then."

"Actually," Tony clarified. "I was hoping that we could do something instead? I'm not quite ready to go back just yet."

Steve's smile nearly blinded him. They found themselves walking around the Seine for hours. It was almost sunrise when Tony returned to the hotel room. He didn't even bother going to the bed, instead he collapsed on the couch in the sitting room. However, he didn't fall asleep. He just stayed up, thoughts buzzing through equations and Steve and his upcoming wedding, but mostly wondering when his life had become so confusing.


	3. I'll Be Seeing You

"Tony, where the hell were you last night?" Pepper asked as soon as she saw him on the couch. "I called your cell phone about twenty times and it said that the number wasn't in service."

"I must have hit a dead zone," he shrugged and got up to change. "What are our plans for today?"

"Well, Happy said that he knew this little spot in Versailles that we just  _have_ to go to," she said. "If you don't want to go, that's fine. But I'm not missing it because of you."

* * *

It was late and Pepper was still off with Happy in Versailles. Tony didn't care. She was having fun and that's what was important.  _Shouldn't I be getting jealous or something?_

"Hey, Stark!"

Tony looked where he heard the voice come from, and saw Steve walking on the sidewalk parallel to his own.

Tony felt his heart skip a little when he saw how bright Steve was smiling. "How's it going, Rogers?"

"I was just heading back to my apartment," Steve commented. "If you want to come back for a beer or something, that is?"

The voice, he labeled as Pepper, in his head started going on and on about  _strangers_  and  _this is a city you don't know._  But the bigger, louder, Tony voice kept comparing beer to wine and eventually won out. Because  _beer._

And that's how Tony found himself sitting back in that same 1937 Roadster. He was still confused about how in the ever-loving hell he ended up in 1944, but Steve seemed like a cool guy, so he just brushed it off.

The apartment that Steve was staying in was only about three blocks from his hotel and looked exactly like what one would expect a bachelor pad to look like in 1944. There was a stereo near a decently sized sofa in the living room that was adjacent to a kitchen that Pepper would probably commit triple homicide for. All the appliances were bleach white and the floors were a checkered black and white. There were two doors that led to, what Tony assumed, were a bathroom and a bedroom. A small thrill ran up Tony's spine at the prospect of seeing Steve's room.  _Nope, can't do this to yourself, Stark. You may be as sexually fluid as a person can be, but this guy wanted to be in the army in the 40s. There is no way that could happen. Also, Pepper._

Tony downed half of the beer that Steve offered him in one drink to shut up the voices that were arguing.

"Thirsty there, pal?" Steve asked with a chuckle. He took a sip of his own beer and moved to go sit on the couch. Tony absolutely did not watch how his khaki's moved against the obviously perfect ass underneath, before he followed and sat down. At the complete other end of the couch.

"You know I don't bite, right?" the blond joked as he side-eyed the other man.

Tony felt his mouth go sort of dry.  _Jesus Christ, it's like a 14-year-old girl. Grow a pair, Stark!_ "I just like my space."  _Wow. Bravo. Not obvious at all._

Steve just shrugged and downed the last bit of his beer. He got up to get another and, being a good host, offered Tony another. He flipped his radio on, and sat down a little bit closer to his guest.

" _I'll be seeing you…"_

"I love this song," Tony commented without thinking. "My mom used to sing it to me before I went to bed."

"But it's a new song," Steve replied with a skeptical look. "It just came out a few days ago."

Tony shook his head.  _Probably best not to scare him off._ "I was thinking of another song. Embraceable You. That was it. Must have gotten mixed up."

Steve nodded in response and they fell into a comfortable silence, simply enjoying the song crooned by Bing Crosby.

"Back in the States, I had this girl named Peggy," Steve explained. "Well, she wasn't  _my_ girl, but she wasn't really going on any dates with other fellows. Anyway, she would always tell me at dances when Embraceable You came on that I was a dead hoofer and that she would teach me to dance one day."

"She sounds nice."

"She is," he said with a fond smile. But the smile fell faster than it appeared. "Was."

Tony shot him a raised eyebrow.

"She was accepted into the army as something that she couldn't tell me about. Last I heard, she was M.I.A." Steve finished his second beer and started to peel the label. "She was my best friend, you know? Well, aside from Bucky."

Tony felt his heart break at the story he had just heard. Then an idea hit. "Hey, Rogers, get up for a minute."

Steve gave him a look that asked if he was crazy or not, but he obliged. Tony grabbed his hands and set them on his hips. That scared the blond off in a second. "I'm sorry, but what do you think you are doing?"

Tony cocked his head, as if it were obvious. "I'm teaching you to dance."

"But men aren't supposed to dance with other men," Steve said quietly. "It's not right."

"Is that what you believe or what society believes?" Tony asked. Steve opened his mouth to respond, but was stopped by the raise of a hand. "It was a rhetorical question. You're on vacation in the City of Love. Live a little." And with that, Stark moved back to the other man and set the hands back. This time, he met no opposition.

" _And when the night is new_

_I'll be looking at the moon_

_But I'll be seeing you"_

Tony placed his own hands on the taller man's shoulders, and they began to sway. Steve eventually wrapped his arms around Tony's waist and Tony did the same around Steve's neck and rested his head upon it, his face finding a comfortable and warm nook. Neither had noticed that the song had changed to something much more upbeat.

"Tony, can I tell you something?" Steve murmured. He felt a nod of the head and continued. "They didn't reject me from the army. I was dishonorably discharged."

The older man separated himself out of shock. "What happened?"

Steve separated himself from his dance partner, ducking his head and wringing his hands slightly out of nervousness. Tony thought that he heard a few rue chuckles, but he couldn't be sure. "Well," he started slowly. "It was because they found a few magazines in my trunk." His cheeks flushed a bright, bright red at the word magazine.

"They kicked you out for some porn?" Tony prompted. He knew where this was headed, but wanted to hear it from the man himself. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't assuming anything.

"No!" Steve all but shouted. If it were possible, Tony would've sworn that he became even redder. "No, it wasn't like that. They weren't what the rest of the guys had, if you know what I mean."

"So?" Tony shrugged.  _Idiot. Don't Ask, Don't Tell wasn't even repealed until your time. This guy can't be gay here. Not in 1944 America, anyway. Maybe Paris. No, focus Tony._

"'So?'" Steve asked incredulously. "'So?' It's not as simple as that! They kicked me out because I'm wrong and disgusting." He felt the room begin to spin a little, so he sat back down on the couch. "Peggy had me figured out a long time ago, that's why she pretended to be my girl for so long. But they told my Ma. Dad died years ago, and that broke her heart. But to have that happen and for her son, her only child, to be queer? It was too much and she made me leave. I ended up on Bucky's couch for a few weeks before your dad saw me drawing in the park and eventually offered me a way to study art over here. He gave me a fresh start."

Tony had always hated his father more than anything in the world, but in that moment, he actually felt a minuscule amount of gratitude towards him for rescuing this wonderful man. He sat next to Steve who had his face in his hands.

"Look, I know that it's tough to be like this, especially now," he said slowly.  _Might as well give him some hope…_ "But where and when I'm from, it's so much easier. Most of the people don't give a rat's ass anymore if you're gay, straight, or bisexual. There's even parades that celebrate it. Not to mention, the army is better too. They allow everyone in."

Steve looked up. "What do you mean 'when?'"

 _Better to just let the cat out of the bag now._  It took an hour for Tony to convince Steve that he wasn't a spy. Then another to convince him that he wasn't an alien from "that radio show he heard by that H.G. Wells guy."

Then another hour to get Steve to speak again, after he fell silent from shock.

"So, what you're saying is that you are from 2012?" Steve asked. "And that for the past few nights, you've traveled back to 1944 and found me?"

Tony nodded. He didn't want to say anything more, just in case Steve ran off or something.

The younger man was silent for another few minutes before he mumbled, "Okay."

This startled the dark haired man. "'Okay?'"

"Yeah," Steve said. "I do think you're probably a bit crazy, but why would you lie to me? Or at least, come up with that elaborate of a lie. I trust you, Tony."

Tony felt his heart clench and his stomach flip. He never had anyone tell him that. Not even Pepper. She told him that she loved him all the time, but never that she trusted him. He shook off the thought. Instead, he stood up and offered Steve his hand.

All he received was a blank look. "What are you doing, Tony?"

The man in question simply smiled and replied, "I believe that I offered to teach you how to dance."

Hours later, Tony returned to his empty room. He could only think of Steve and their awkward, lingering hug at the end of the evening. It was too long to be friendly and too short to be romantic. It made Tony's head spin. Give him a math problem that Stephen Hawking couldn't solve, and it would be done in ten minutes. Give him a guy who he might be falling for while he's engaged to Pepper, oh and he's also from 70 years ago? Yeah, not doable. But here he was, beginning to fall for the guy he met three days ago that was stuck in the past.  _Shit._


	4. I've Heard That Song Before

Tony woke up alone the next morning. There was a note form Pepper on the pillow next to him that said something about getting breakfast with Happy.  _I need to talk with her soon. This isn't fair to her._

Instead of letting his thoughts get the best of him, Tony got up and hit the shower. He was tempted to crash the breakfast date of his fiancée and friend, but decided against it.  _It might not be worth it to talk to her yet. You owe it to the both of you to try to make this work. Everyone says you're perfect for one another, so it must be true._

So, in lieu of going to get breakfast, Tony found himself in the same café, ordering a cappuccino, where he had met Edith Piaf the night before.

"Man," he muttered to himself as he took a sip, "My life is insane."

After his coffee, he meandered through a street sale. He rifled through the books, picking out a few that he thought Pepper would like and ones he could use to read later. Maybe even a few for Steve. But only maybe. He wasn't even sure if they would bridge through the time gap, or whatever it was.

He'd have to look into the logistics later.

He and Pepper sat in the four star restaurant, looking like every other couple in the joint. Sharing champagne and hors 'd'oeuvres and enjoying the atmosphere when-

"Tony, we need to talk."

Those very words were what made Tony's heart freeze for a split second. He wasn't sure if it was from fear of a looming breakup or the hope that Pepper was the one ending it and hey, maybe he wouldn't be the bad guy here! But whatever it was, it made his heart stop for a moment. "About what?"

"You keep disappearing at night," Pepper started. "It's normal for when we're at home, because your lab is usually your spot to be, but here…I just want to know what you're doing or, at least, that you're safe."

Tony sighed out of relief ( _or is it disappointment?_ ). "I'm totally safe out there, Pep. I'm just taking in the culture and art and stuff."

Pepper looked skeptical, but let it go. "You know, you can talk to me right? Because I do love you."

 _You know exactly where to hit me in the guilt, Potts._ "I know you do. And I love you," he replied. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wrapped present. "That's why, when I saw this, I thought of you."

Pepper smiled widely and took the gift. She opened it to reveal an old book of art by Gogan. She only looked more awed when she flipped through it. "Tony, this is lovely. Thank you."

He reached across the table and held her hand until the moment had passed.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, simply enjoying their food and each other's company.  _See, this is something I could do for the rest of my life. Steve is nice and warm and funny and attractive, but Pepper is…we're good together._

It wasn't until Tony was falling asleep later, with Pepper tucked close to his side, that he realized just how much he missed not seeing Steve that night.

Tony was up the next morning long after Pepper had gone to breakfast. Again, she was with Happy, but he made her, well, happy. Ignoring the thoughts of should be jealousy, Tony set out to work on a few new formulas for the latest model of a cell phone.

He worked for a few hours, before the boredom set in and he felt extraordinarily antsy.  _Is it just a night thing that takes me back, or would it work in the day too?_ He shoved the thoughts down, though. Pepper was it for him.

When he found himself down by the river, however, he saw them together. They weren't doing anything scandalous, just talking as friends do. Happy was saying something to Pepper that made her dissolve into the nose-scrunching, silent from silliness giggles that Tony used to lose his breath over. She looked younger and more radiant than he had seen her look in ages. Which made him think,  _when was the last time I made her look like that? When did I make her that happy?_

He should've stopped by and said something. Nothing important, just something to join in on their conversation and maybe go to lunch with them or shopping or whatever it was people did here. He really should've. But he didn't. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked back to the hotel to work.

Tony was hesitant to knock on the door in front of him.

_Why is it that you always lose your cool here? Just knock on the damn door!_

He raised his fist to knock a cute tune into the wood, but it opened a second too soon, and there before him, stood a very startled Steve Rogers.

"Tony!" he exclaimed with a breathless smile. "I was just going to the café to work on a sketch and to s-" His mouth seemed to catch his word before he could say them, but the unfinished sentence of  _to see if you would be there_ hung in the air. "-and to, uh, get a bit of coffee."

Tony felt a slight thrill go through him, just like he did whenever he saw Steve smile. Or heard Steve talk. Or was around Steve. Really, he felt it whenever he just thought of Steve. Man, he was screwed. "Sure, lead the way, Mr. Rogers."

The walk to the shop was comfortably silent, their hands brushing against each other. When they sat down, Tony took his place right next to Steve instead of across or diagonal, the latter pulling out his sketchbook, but still keeping it obscured from Tony's view.

"Are you ever going to let me see that drawing of yours?" he teased lightly.

Steve laughed that goofy laugh of his in response. "Probably not. It's not something that I even plan on turning in. Just a drawing for myself."

"Is it scandalous?" Tony asked, throwing in a side smile to let the other man know that he was joking. Steve just elbowed him and closed the book. "But that does sort of remind me." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small present, not unlike what he had given Pepper just the night before. "I got this for you. I'm hoping that you don't have it already, but yeah. Just open it."

Steve smiled widely and tore off the paper. Inside was a book. It was a first edition of H.G. Wells'  _The Time Machine._  The younger man laughed lightly at the ironic title. He looked at Tony with his clear blue eyes that shone brighter than he had really seen before. "Thank you, Tony. This really means a lot to me."

Tony opened his mouth the respond, but thunder crashed and muffled his words. Rain began to pour down in droves. Steve carefully tucked the book inside of his jacket and grabbed Tony's hand. He led them back to his apartment where he offered his guest a towel to dry off with and a set of spare clothes to change in to, if he wanted to. "I know that you think Paris is beautiful in the rain, but I'd rather not get pneumonia today."

The older man laughed before taking the spare clothes into the bathroom to change. He felt a bit like a boy wearing his father's clothes with how big they were, but they were Steve's clothes. So they were absolutely perfect. After he rolled the cuffs up on the pants anyway.

When he emerged, he saw Steve sitting on the couch, sketching away on that same super secret drawing. He seemed to have sensed Tony's presence because he set the book down quickly. He went to turn the radio on and allowed Tony his choice of seat on the couch, then joined him, an appropriate amount of space separating them.

Well, there was until – "You're shivering."

Tony hadn't even noticed until Steve brought it to his attention that his teeth were, in fact, chattering. Steve grabbed a blanket and threw it over the other man. After a few moments of it not working well, he slipped under the blanket and pulled Tony in close, rubbing his arms. Tony hadn't felt that comforted and warm in ages, despite his low core temperature.

Eventually, they found themselves lying on the couch, Tony tucked carefully, cozily into Steve's embrace. He felt the blond begin to hum.

" _Embrace me, my embraceable you…"_

He all but jumped off of Steve. "I have to go," Tony said suddenly. Steve started to stutter an apology about the song choice and the closeness, but Tony couldn't listen to it. He ran out of the apartment and kept going until the streetlights and shop signs changed.

In the hotel room, he went straight into the bedroom and changed into his own clothes. Steve's were buried to the bottom of his suitcase. He crawled into the bed; it felt emptier than he was sure it ever felt before. There were no strong arms to keep him safe, no lean yet soft body to keep him warm. He didn't cry. No, Tony Stark absolutely did not cry. He did, however, fall into a dark, dreamless, restless sleep.

 


	5. My Embraceable You

It was finally their last day in Paris. Tony felt the last few days blur together. He had completely avoided going out at night, without Pepper anyway, because he couldn't make himself see Steve. He also observed Pepper and Happy from a scientific standpoint; he still didn't feel any jealousy so he decided to take all of the emotion out of it. She always invited Happy along, and he always accepted, so Tony would occasionally decline, but followed them on those days anyway. He made mental notes about how she acted with him and without him. He kept meaning to ask her about their relationship, the words always fell, though, as soon as they were alone and he became too afraid of hurting her to bring it up. But, mostly, he holed himself away to work on something that took his mind off of anything but math and science. It wasn't even a product Tony intended to sell; just mind numbing work.

But with everything that he did, his mind always replayed that night in his head. Steve looked so heartbroken and scared. And it was all because of Tony. Those thoughts made him want to try to physically pull out his mind, just to quiet them even for a moment.

Eventually, Pepper noticed and questioned what was wrong. He reasoned that it was the stress of being away from his lab. She seemed skeptical, but didn't push it. Instead, she dragged him out and about for a trip to the market for a few last minute purchases. He didn't even argue with her about what she was buying or if it would fit in anywhere in their house. He just made a few witty rejoinders to make it seem like he wasn't any different than before.

However, Pepper wasn't stupid. She wasn't a genius at the same level as Tony, sure, but it does take a genius to control one. She noticed his loss of character and how he was even more reclusive than usual. But what worried her the most was the fact that he made absolutely no qualms about buying a few pieces that made even her eyes bleed. And that she had managed to pull off this test of a shopping trip without him noticing.

She decided, though, that maybe he was right. Maybe he just needed to get back to his lab and Dr. Banner, a guy he met once and became fast friends with. Maybe he really was just homesick.

So that night, she found a small, very quiet restaurant for them to spend their last night in Paris in. The conversation over the dinner was the same, which managed to reassure Pepper just a little bit.

"Tony, I know that this isn't your type of thing," Pepper said when they got back to their hotel room. "But I love you so much for sucking it up and acting like a professional here."

But Tony didn't hear her. He was wrapped up in the small, leather bound book that sat on top of her purchases from the day. He knew it from somewhere, but couldn't remember. He picked it up and the first page he turned to nearly made him drop the book out of shock.

Turns out that he did yelp though.

"What's wrong?" Pepper asked, running into the bedroom.

Tony just turned to her with a sort of blank look on his face, the book still opened in his hands but obscured from her view.

"We have to talk," he muttered.

* * *

Steve looked at his work longingly. He still wasn't thrilled with it. It was the eyes. They didn't have the life that he knew was there.

He scratched an angry 'X' through the picture and flipped to a new page to work on just the eyes he knew so well.

* * *

"Tony, you're scaring me," Pepper said in a worried voice. "What is going on?"

"You're not happy, are you?" he asked slowly, still looking at the book in his hands.

She felt her confidence fade. "What are you talking about? Of course I am!"

Tony shook his head and finally met her eyes. "You're really not though."

* * *

Steve threw the book across the room. He'd failed.

They were all too angry, too sad, too…it wasn't ever right.

He'd failed.

* * *

Pepper held Tony's gaze. Neither was going to end this without the truth coming out.

"Fine," she whispered. "You're right. I'm not as happy anymore. But it's not because of you. You are such a good man, but not for me."

Tony smiled sadly. "I know." He let one hand off the book to hold hers. "You are the best person I've ever had in my life, but that doesn't make a relationship work. I'm not happy either."

* * *

Steve finally walked over to get the book and opened to a clean page. He felt the inspiration start to course through him and he had to get the image down before it faded completely.

* * *

"I love you, Tony," Pepper said with a sad smile. She squeezed his hand. "But I'm not in love with you anymore."

Tony returned the sad smile. Pepper went to remove the ring from her finger, but he stopped her. "I want you to keep it. You're one of my best friends, Pep. After Rhodey anyway. I still want you in my life, and this shows you how important you were and still are to me."

She smiled and reached to give him a hug. He set the book down and she finally saw what was there.

Before she could ask though, he pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I have to go, Potts. I might not see you until we get back to New York, so take care."

And with that, he and that leather-bound were gone.

* * *

Steve erased that last bit of ebony pencil from the edge and smiled. It was done. Finally, finally done.

Just in time for the door to fly open.

He pulled the gun he kept nearby and pointed it at the intruder.

Tony wasn't fazed though. He knocked the gun away and muttered "You're an idiot."

"Wha-" Steve was cut off as Tony grabbed his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long," the older man whispered after they pulled apart.

"I thought you'd left for good," the other man revealed just as quietly. "What made you come back?"

Tony smiled and stepped back. He grabbed the book he had in his pocket and opened it to the page that had stopped his heart.

"Well, Mr. Rogers, you said that your assignment was to draw something that you were enamored with," Tony said. "And Pepper found your book at a sale in my time and bought it. I recognized it and couldn't help but look through it. This is what caused me to realize that marrying Pepper wasn't what either she or I had in mind as a perfect future. So, we broke up. All because of this."

He gestured to the open book. It was a picture of Tony, eyes squinted from laughing, a huge smile on his face. He was sat in the chair at the café where he had met Edith Piaf. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on, and it wasn't because it was his ego was talking. It was because, in the right hand corner, there was a small date and "S. Rogers."

"Do you really like it?" Steve asked quietly.

Tony wrapped his arms around him again. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"I don't know," he responded. "Feels a bit like a dream."

"You're such a dork." He laughed before kissing him lightly again. "Hypothetically, what would you say if I asked you to come home to 2012 with me?"

Steve looked a bit terrified and separated himself from Tony. "I would-um…I uh…"

"You know, just forget I asked," Tony said quickly. He didn't want his question to scare Steve. "It wasn't even a real question. Please kiss me again so I shut up."

Instead, Steve sat down on the couch. "Bucky died, Tony."

Tony just looked at him carefully, and then went to sit down next to him.

"I just got the notice today. He was killed in action."

"I am so sorry, Steve," Tony said, and he truly meant it. He knew loss and knew that Steve knew too much of it.

Steve just nodded in reply. They were silent for a moment, one mourning his best friend and the other just the loss of a life.

"The past few days when you weren't here, I felt more alone than ever," Steve said. "I am not intending this to make you feel guilty. It's just that I lost the respect from my servicemen, the love of my mother, the girl who helped me, my best guy, and then you disappeared and I didn't know what to do."

"I'm here now and I promise that I'm not going anywhere," Tony promised. He gripped Steve's hand. "Not without you."

The blond looked at their conjoined hands with a smile. "As long as you promise to teach me how they dance in 2012."


	6. You Are Sunshine

"And here we have what, in my opinion, is the pride of the Louvre," the tour guide said. She presented the statue to the group. "Aphrodite, also known as the Venus de Milo. It was discovered in 1820 on the island of Melos. They are still not entirely sure what her pose was, but it's been said that she was resting upon Ares' shoulder or leaning on a pillar."

Steve looked at the drowsing man next to him and threw an elbow into his ribs. "Tony!"

Tony jerked awake and blinked a few times before remembering where they were. "But Steve, this is so boring. Can't we just go off on our own?"

"No!" The blond looked shocked that Tony would even suggest a thing. "How else would we be able to see all of the works and know what they're about and where they're from?"

Tony sighed. He wrung his hands, gold catching the light and making him smile. All of the memories he and Steve now had after coming back to the present floored him and made him want to start crying.

Leave it to Steve freaking Rogers – it's Rogers-Stark now you idiot – to make me want to cry when I'm in the middle of a museum.

Before he could show any forms of sadness that would undoubtedly worry Steve, Tony excused himself to the restroom.

Steve finished the tour, there had only been a few stops left, before waiting for Tony outside the men's room.

"Come on, Rogers," Tony said as soon as he saw the man standing there. He grabbed his hand and dragged him to the wing that housed the Contemporary European Art exhibit. "I want to show you my favorite piece."

Steve just shrugged and let Tony lead him to the work. It wasn't until they got there that Steve fell even more in love with the man.

In the wing, there was a piece of loose paper stuck to the wall with tape and had a plaque made from a sticky note.

It was the portrait of Tony that Steve had drawn all those years ago, but pulled from the book that Pepper had bought. On the sticky note, it attributed the piece to Steve Rogers-Stark.

"Tony, I can't believe you would do this," Steve whispered in awe.

"I just wanted everyone to know how brilliant my husband is," Tony said. He felt Steve look at him like he put the stars in the sky.

"I love you so much, Tony."

The dark haired man leaned up on his toes to kiss his husband.

"I love you too, Steve."


End file.
